Author's note: this one-shot is my first Walking Dead fic, hope you like it!

A Little R&R

It had been a long, gruelling winter. The group had been on the road for months, scavenging for supplies, searching for shelter with increasing desperation. They rationed everything rigidly, but even so their meals had been growing increasingly meagre. They'd camped in abandoned barns, looted stores in deserted towns, isolated houses surrounded by woodland. Nowhere was safe for long before the walkers came through. Running dangerously low on ammunition, weakened from lack of food, they couldn't risk taking on more than a few at a time. So when the herds came, they ran. They never got far. Sooner or later, every road was blocked by fallen trees or landslips, or by accidents and the bloody remains of the people who hadn't been able to get away fast enough. Hold ups created noise, and noise brought the walkers. Whilst they hadn't come across a herd as large as the one that had driven them from the sanctuary of the farm, there had been more than a few close calls since they'd hit the road.

By the time they found the prison, they were almost broken. Looking through the fences at the yard over-run by walkers, it seemed an insurmountable challenge to even consider going in. But they needed to make a stand. They were cold, hungry, and their resources were severely depleted. And so they took it. Summoning every last ounce of their inner reserves, they cleared the yard, fought their way inside, and secured a cell block. It didn't come without a cost. They almost lost Hershel, but somehow he made it through. He was a fighter, they all were. For the first time in a long time, it seemed they had a secure base where they could all stop and take stock, where there was time to think of more than just running, fighting, and staying alive.

It came just in time, Maggie knew. None of them talked about how close to the edge they'd come, but they all knew. She only had to look at the haunted look in Beth's eyes, to note the worry lines permanently creasing Glenn's forehead, or to see the fear and exhaustion and despair etched into the face of every member of their group, and she was convinced that another few days out in the open would have finished them.

The prison may have been a gloomy and dismal option to turn into a home but it was the only one they had. Once they were sure that Hershel was going to survive both the bite and the forced amputation, Maggie assigned herself to head up the clean up party to rid the prison of the remains of the walkers they'd killed, whilst Rick, Glenn and Daryl secured the cell block and the yard from future incursions. By dusk on the third day, they were relatively certain that their new home was protected. They had food and supplies from the commissary and the cafeteria, they'd brought in water from the creek just beyond the fences, and they'd all had chance to get some sleep on real mattresses, albeit prison-issue. It was the most relaxed any of them had felt for months.

During their time in the open, they'd clung together for protection, and privacy had been hard to come by. It had been too dangerous to be separated after dark so even if they'd split into smaller groups in the daytime to go on runs or to scavenge and loot whatever they could find, they always reconvened by sunset and ate dinner as a group. That was one routine that hadn't changed since their arrival at the prison and as the sky began to darken, the group began to gravitate back to the cell block each day.

They'd all selected a cell of their own, Glenn and Maggie had appropriated one at the far end of the run, and that was where Glenn found her at dusk, washing the blood and grime off her hands as she cleaned up for dinner. With her back to him, unaware of his presence, she tugged her filthy, stained shirt over her head and tossed it casually into a pile of laundry in the corner that she planned to deal with soon now that the primary task of creating a safe place for them all to stay was more or less completed. Crouching down and searching through her pack for a clean shirt, some small movement seemed to alert her to the presence of someone in the doorway and she turned with a start, before immediately relaxing as she took in Glenn leaning against the door frame, his eyes roaming over her figure appreciatively.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked teasingly, raising an eyebrow as a smirk played on her lips.

"What's not to like?" Glenn shrugged, sidling over to her and sliding his arms around her waist.

"Mmm," Maggie sighed as she relaxed into the embrace, delighting in the roughness of Glenn's fingertips as they brushed the small of her back just above the waist band of her jeans. "I missed you today," she murmured into the crook of his neck, "but I think we finally got all of the walkers cleared out of the yard. How'd you get on in the tombs?"

"Do we have to talk about walkers right now?" grumbled Glenn, sighing as she pressed her lips against the hollow of his throat. "I can think of better things to be doing."

"Such as?" Maggie wound her hands into Glenn's hair and raked her fingers lightly over his scalp as she kissed her way playfully along his jawline. Glenn's answer was to lower his hands from her waist, slide them into the back pockets of her jeans, and tug her against him so that she giggled. "We can't," she said regretfully, but her breathing quickened reflexively and she felt her cheeks flush at the thought. "Not here. Anyone could walk in. Besides, they'll hear us."

"So keep quiet." Glenn was feigning nonchalance but Maggie knew better. Pressed together the way they were, she could feel the effect her proximity was having on him. He grinned at her, then captured her lips in a kiss that was immediately hot and desperate.

"I'm not the screamer," Maggie panted as they broke for air. The end of her sentence was swallowed as Glenn plunged his tongue into her mouth and she felt her resistance slipping. It had been so long since they'd been together like this. Opportunities to be alone together on the road had been few and far between, and survival had overtaken all other needs once winter set in. If they'd held each other close at night it had been for warmth and comfort rather than anything else. Too often, they'd all shared the same sleeping space, or they'd had to sleep in shifts, taking turns on watch to protect the group.

She'd missed this, Maggie realized as Glenn continued to stroke his tongue languidly against hers, pushing into her mouth before retreating and allowing her to reciprocate. The warmth of his body pressed up against her, the soft moans and murmurings of approval as they got lost in the kiss, hands wandering aimlessly over each other's upper bodies.

"Maggie, are you in here? Lori said to tell you dinner's-" At the sound of her little sister's lilting voice, Maggie and Glenn jumped apart like they'd been electrocuted, Maggie crossing her arms over her bra-clad chest, but it was too late. Beth blushed, her cheeks scarlet as she fixed her eyes firmly on the floor. "Oh, um, I didn't mean to interrupt," she said, stumbling over her words. "Should we wait on you for dinner or...?" Even though they could barely see her face, they couldn't miss the way her shoulders shook with her effort to contain her amusement.

"We'll be right there," Maggie told her, trying to keep her tone innocent, tugging her clean shirt over her head so that she wouldn't have to look at her snickering sister for a few seconds.

"Actually, could you save some for us?" Glenn asked hurriedly as Beth turned to go. "Rick wanted us to check out the guard towers to establish sentry points."

"Tonight?" Beth was sceptical.

"Sooner rather than later," Glenn replied evenly. "There's more than walkers outside those fences, you know, and it'll be dark soon."

"O-kay," Beth said in a sing-song tone, shooting Glenn a look that clearly told him she did not come down in the last shower and she knew exactly why Glenn was so keen to check out the towers with her sister. "Be careful out there," she added knowingly before spinning on her heel and disappearing back through the open doorway.

Maggie groaned audibly and buried her head into the crook of Glenn's neck. "Could you have been any more obvious?" she complained, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"You don't think she bought it?" Glenn sounded so genuine that Maggie honestly didn't know whether or not to believe him until she lifted her head to look into his grinning face. "What?" he teased, then he chuckled out an, "ow," as she punched him in the shoulder. "You don't want to come with me and check out the guard towers?"

Maggie debated internally. She ought to say no to teach Glenn a lesson, but it had been so long since they'd been intimate, and she really wanted to be alone with him. Beth might have figured out what Glenn was planning, but her little sister could be a pretty good ally when it came to deflecting their father, and maybe everyone else would take their plan at face value. Even if they didn't, did she really care if they knew? Sure, she might have to put up with Daryl smirking at them for a day or two, but wasn't it worth it?

She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes for dramatic effect. "Let's go before I change my mind," she told him drily.

Glenn didn't need to be told twice. He took Maggie by the hand and all but dragged her out of the cell, stopping only briefly to offer rushed apologies and excuses to Lori and Carol who were setting out the food for the evening meal. Once outside however, his giddiness seemed to abate, they couldn't afford to be careless even after all the work they'd done to reinforce the boundaries of their new sanctuary. There was the omnipresent risk of walkers, let alone other groups who wanted to take what they had. All that remained of the daylight was a pinkish haze in the west. Nighttime still came on quickly at this time of year.

Automatically, both Maggie and Glenn slipped into stealth mode, guns cocked, safeties off as they scanned the encroaching darkness for any sign of movement. All was still and calm. The world was so quiet now. Maggie was used to the silence having been brought up in the country, but sometimes she longed for the sound of loud music, of kids playing - anything from the way the world used to be. The only noises came from the quiet crunch of their boots against the gravel and the occasional hoot of an owl from somewhere out in the woods.

They reached the foot of the guard tower without incident and fought with the metal door at the base to get it open. It was warped and rusted but brute force won out after several seconds and the door gave way, exposing the ladder leading to a trapdoor in the floor of the look out station.

"You think there's anything up there?" Maggie asked uncertainly, placing her foot on the bottom rung as she frowned.

"Want me to go first?" Glenn offered in response but Maggie shook her head.

"It's okay, I got it." She made short work of the climb, reaching the top of the ladder and pausing to adjust her hold on her gun whilst Glenn covered her from the ground just in case. "Here goes nothing." She banged on the trapdoor a couple of times, and cocked her head as she listened for snarls or signs of movement. There was nothing. Balancing her weight on both feet, she pushed the door up with her left arm whilst her right hand held the gun steady. The hinges were stiff and creaked in protest but the door opened without too much effort. The air inside was stale and musty. No one had been in the tower for some time. Relaxing her shoulders, Maggie clicked the safety catch back on her weapon and set it down on the floor before pulling herself up into the small, glass panelled lookout station.

A glazed door opened onto a viewing platform, Maggie turned the handle and it opened easily, blasting cool fresh air into the small space. In the near darkness, she could barely make out the hulking outline of the forest that surrounded the southern and eastern borders of the prison grounds. The road, she knew, was to the north, and the creek ran along the western side. The moon was still low in the sky but it shone against the windows of the prison, reflecting a little light back towards the tower. She turned around at the scraping sound of Glenn lowering the trapdoor and pulling the bolt across, sealing them in.

"Better to be safe than sorry," he said by way of an explanation.

"I bet you can see for miles up here during the day," Maggie replied, stepping out onto the metal railed platform. "The view must really be something."

"The view's pretty good right now from where I'm standing," Glenn offered and Maggie snickered, glancing back at him over her shoulder.

"Seriously? You're gonna lead with that?" she shook her head at him disparagingly. "Where'd you get your pick up lines? Eighties brat-pack movies?"

"I mean it." Glenn wouldn't be swayed. "You look beautiful."

"I'm wearing rags and I haven't washed my hair in a week," countered Maggie, plucking at the torn hem of her shirt.

Glenn took a step towards her. "You're beautiful," he said simply.

"I'm covered in bruises and my fingernails are hideous, I don't think there's a single one that isn't broken or dirty," she said softly as he took another step. He was close enough to reach out and touch her now, standing in the doorway leading out onto the platform.

"Beautiful," he repeated, reaching out and tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you."

She couldn't help but smile at his chosen words. It wasn't something they said to one another every day. Even with all the risks they'd faced over the past several months, those three words had rarely passed between them. They both felt them, of course, but saying them when faced with ever-present danger had felt too much like saying goodbye. Saying I love you before going on a supply run meant there was a chance you wouldn't come back, saying it before going to sleep at night meant there was a risk of getting attacked by walkers before dawn. They'd never discussed their reluctance to utter the words, but hearing him say them now made her feel so safe.

She closed the final distance between them in one quick step, pressing the length of her body against him and humming contentedly as she settled into his familiar embrace. Their kisses started slow and tender now that there was no chance of interruption - they had all night if they so desired. Soft presses of lips to foreheads, noses, jawlines, growing increasingly frantic before their mouths finally came together in a clash of teeth and tongues. Glenn's hands tangled into her hair, tugging gently, and Maggie forgot all about her earlier statement - it didn't matter whether her hair was dirty or clean, it simply felt amazing to have Glenn touching her, her scalp tingling pleasantly with every brush of his fingers.

In return, she slipped her hands under his t-shirt, stroking the plane of his chest as he sighed in pleasure at the skin to skin contact. Maggie wasn't satisfied with simply touching beneath clothing for long however. She wanted to see him, to taste him, so she pulled at the hem of his shirt until he got the idea and raised his arms so that she could slip it over his head.

Glenn quickly divested Maggie of her own shirt before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close once more. His body was so warm against hers, as his fingertips explored her torso before reaching up to brush lightly over her bra-covered breasts. Maggie couldn't hold back the whimper that bubbled up in her throat at the action. To reciprocate, she bit down on Glenn's shoulder with blunt teeth before soothing the area with her tongue, delighting in the soft hiss she elicited.

They stumbled back inside the tower without breaking their embrace, Maggie closing the door to the balcony with a kick of her foot. Fumbling fingers struggled with belts and zippers, their haste to touch one another's bodies making them clumsy and uncoordinated.

"God, I've missed this," Maggie muttered as she tugged Glenn's jeans and boxers all too easily down over his hips - the last few months had made them all compulsory dieters. "I've missed you."

"I've been right here the whole time," Glenn said breathlessly, sinking to his knees and pulling her down with him. He tried to kiss her again but she brought both hands up to his face to hold him back. As much as she wanted him to just keep touching her and kissing her until nothing else in the world existed except the two of them, she had a pressing need to share her thoughts with him first. The intimacy she was craving wasn't just physical. Although her body was crying out for him, her mind and her soul needed to feel him too.

"You don't understand," she said plaintively, her gaze finding his and holding it. "Since we lost the farm, we haven't been living, we've just been surviving. We've all lost so much, it's like we lost ourselves. I was starting to think we'd lost this too."

"Never," Glenn replied emphatically, covering Maggie's hand with his own and interlocking their fingers. "Maggie, I promise you. I love you. So much. Nothing could ever change that."

"I love you too." Maggie's voice wavered, but she smiled. There were those three little words again. Those three powerful little words. She felt them breathe the life back into her, making her start to feel human again. A fresh wave of desire began to flood through her veins and she bit down on her lower lip coquettishly. "So show me?"

Glenn was more than willing to oblige. He made quick work of removing her boots and the rest of her clothes before laying her back on the dusty floor.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, running his hands over the outside of her thighs and up over her hips. "I should have brought a blanket."

"It doesn't matter," Maggie assured him, squirming slightly at his touch, the calluses on his hands dragging enticingly over her sensitized skin. "We'll bring one next time."

"Next time?" Glenn asked in surprise, raising his eyebrows, and then looking even more stunned when Maggie growled beneath him.

"Are you gonna talk all night or are you going to make love to me?" she demanded. She was fully aware of the irony, a few moments ago she'd been the one who wanted to talk and now she thought she might literally burst into flames if she had to wait one more minute to feel him pressed against her.

In response, Glenn kicked off his boots and wriggled the rest of the way out of his jeans before coaxing her thighs apart and settling himself between them. There would be time enough over the coming hours to kiss, to caress, to re-familiarise themselves with every inch of each other, but they'd waited long enough to come together. As Glenn made quick work of the condom, Maggie couldn't help but worry what would happen when their supply ran out, but then he was pressing against her and she lost all semblance of rational thought.

Glenn entered her slowly, giving her time to adjust before he began to move against her. Automatically, her hips began to rock against him and her hands came up to roam over the taught muscles of his back, pulling him closer to her with every thrust. Glenn's hands were at her knees, urging her to wrap her legs around him. She obliged willingly, the movement drawing him even deeper inside her. They kissed, desperate and breathless, clinging to each other as they took pleasure from the friction they were creating together. Everywhere her skin made contact with his, Maggie felt like she was on fire, but nowhere more so than between her thighs. It felt so good to feel him moving within her, each thrust drawing her closer and closer to the edge. She didn't want it to end, but she'd waited so long to feel him inside her like this that she didn't think she could hold on much longer.

She opened her mouth to warn him that she was close, wanting so badly for them both to climax together, to feel him come apart in her arms as she exploded, but Glenn hadn't forgotten how to read her body and he knew how near she was.

"Come for me, Maggie?" he murmured against her left ear before grazing her earlobe with his teeth, a move he knew drove her wild. He brought his fingers down between her legs, finding the bundle of nerves at her center and stroking rhythmically in time with his thrusts. Waves of pleasure began to radiate outwards from the small of her stomach, and she heard herself cry out. Her internal walls began to flutter as she arched her back and she felt Glenn's movements stutter as his own orgasm encroached. With a final push into her, Glenn let go, crying out her name as his release washed over him. A split second later, Maggie came undone in his arms.

At first, all they could do was hold each other and try to catch their breath, grinning at one another like a pair of high school kids, hands wandering idly.

"That was..." Maggie broke off, unable to find sufficient words to explain.

"I know," Glenn panted. "God, you're amazing, you know that?"

"You weren't so bad yourself," mused Maggie, trying a failing to suppress a giggle. With great effort, she turned her head away from Glenn's beautiful eyes to glance up at the night sky through the grimy windows of the guard tower. The stars were out now and the sky was an inky black. "But I suppose we should be heading back before they send out a search party." Her voice was full of regret as she contemplated having to end their brief time alone.

Glenn raised his head to study the darkness pensively. "You know, I think they'd just figure that we're staying out for safety," he said thoughtfully. "There's no moon tonight, it'd be pretty hard to find our way back in this darkness. Rick knows we've cleared out all the walkers, he'll reassure Hershel and Beth if they need it. Besides," he brought a hand up to cover her breast, stroking the pad of his thumb lightly over her nipple, "I'm not done with you yet."

"Oh really?" Maggie asked with a grin. Glenn captured her lips in a teasing kiss, before pulling away when she tried to deepen the connection, even as his right hand continued to lightly caress her breast.

"Patience," he chided with a low chuckle. "We have all night, and I want to take my time with you." His voice was huskier than usual as he fought to control his arousal. Maggie squirmed beneath him as desire that had been sated mere moments ago flared in her once again.

She held her breath as he lowered his head to taste the nipple he'd been toying with, a soft moan catching in her throat as he swirled the tip of his tongue over the hardened nub. He continued to tease first one nipple then the other until she was breathing raggedly and mumbling soft words of encouragement.

"Don't stop," she begged when he paused in his ministrations to run his gaze over the length of her body thoughtfully. Maggie's fingers wound into the soft tendrils of his hair as she tried wantonly to draw his mouth back to her breasts but Glenn had other ideas. He began to kiss his way down her torso, glancing up at her teasingly as he swirled the tip of his tongue into her navel.

"Fuck," she murmured in response, feeling arousal spreading through her body once more.

Glenn raised an eyebrow at her and smirked. She seldom cursed but when she did, it turned him on every time. Continuing his journey down her body, he left a small love bite just above her protruding hip bone, and then another on her left thigh.

"Glenn!" she squealed with feigned indignation at the marks he was making on her skin.

"It's not like I'm putting them any place your dad's going to see them." Glenn was nonchalant. "And you taste so good. I'd almost forgotten how soft your skin is." To prove his point he gently urged her legs apart and brushed his cheek against her inner thigh. Maggie let out a whimper and bit down hard on her lower lip. "I want you," he added throatily.

It was all Maggie could do to wordlessly nod her head - she was holding her breath in anticipation of just how good it would feel to have Glenn's mouth pressed intimately against her. And then his tongue was stroking her and tasting her and unexpected tears were stinging her eyes because it felt so good and she hadn't let herself even think about being with Glenn like this in so long. Within moments she was reduced to breathless moans and gasps, his talented tongue seeking out all of her most sensitive places before his lips closed around the bundle of nerves at her center and she lost herself in the sensations he was evoking. His tongue swirled mercilessly over the tiny nub, drawing her closer and closer to release. This time, when she came undone, she screamed his name so loud that she wouldn't have been at all surprised if they'd heard her in the cell block. Glenn continued to lick through her folds as wave after wave of unadulterated pleasure ran through her, and just when she thought it was over a second orgasm ripped through her, this one leaving her ears ringing and white lights flashing behind her eyelids. When it finally ended, she lay spent, her stomach muscles aching from the force of her climax, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

Glenn collapsed beside her, panting and grinning, as he brushed back the sweaty strands of hair that clung to her forehead. He kissed her softly and she could taste herself on his tongue.

Neither of them spoke, they just revelled in their regained closeness, hands stroking and caressing whatever body part they came into contact with. Maggie curled her body into Glenn's, resting her head sleepily against his shoulder. He wrapped a protective arm around her as she hummed contentedly, struggling to keep her eyes open. She didn't want to waste a second of their precious alone time but her body was crying out for rest. She glanced up at Glenn's face and smiled to see his eyes closed, his expression more relaxed than she'd seen it in a while. He wasn't asleep yet, she knew because she had become so attuned to the even sound of his breathing when he slept, but he was close.

Telling herself that they'd have many more opportunities like this one now that they'd found the sanctuary of the prison, Maggie finally allowed her tired mind to switch off. Focussing instead on the pleasant ache in her muscles and the soft warmth of Glenn's body pressed against her she drifted off into the best sleep she'd had in months.

It was the first rays of early morning sunlight that woke her from her restful slumber. She stretched languidly, feeling the slight ache in her muscles and shivering slightly in the cool dawn air. Maggie shifted onto her side so that she could curl into Glenn and watch him sleep. He looked younger when he was resting, more innocent somehow. She brushed the back of her hand gently over the early morning stubble on his jawline and chuckled to herself when Glenn sighed contentedly without stirring. His reaction gave her an idea, and she bit her lip mischievously.

She walked her fingers lightly over Glenn's chest, following the line of his sternum down towards his navel. She could feel goosebumps erupting beneath her fingertips, so she knew her touch was having a physiological response. By the time she reached her destination, Glenn was already starting to get aroused, even as he slept on. Her fingers closed around him and she started to stroke him gently, feeling him harden under her ministrations. He stirred slightly as she eased her body away from him to kneel beside him, and she paused for a second to see if he was going to wake up. When he didn't she grinned to herself and licked her dry, cracked lips to moisten them, before lowering her head and taking him into her mouth to continue where her hands had left off.

Maggie swirled her tongue over the head, savoring the taste of Glenn. As she took the length of him deeper into her mouth, she felt his hips suddenly move and she knew he was awake. A strong hand suddenly tangled into her hair, urging her to continue, and she was more than happy to oblige. She licked and sucked and stroked with her tongue, moving rhythmically up and down his shaft until she felt his fingers tighten their hold on her hair and she knew that he was close. He was trying to get her to stop before it was too late but she had no intention of letting go. Hearing him call her name as his orgasm hit was one of her favorite things, and she swallowed hard as he released into her waiting mouth, not pulling back until he was well and truly spent.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Glenn panted as she collapsed beside him, unable to keep herself from grinning.

"I wanted to," Maggie replied simply. "I'm with you. Always."

Glenn sighed contentedly. "Well, in that case, thanks for the wake up call."

"You're welcome." Maggie giggled as she kissed his shoulder. Glenn's fingertips reached under her chin and drew her head up so that his lips could find hers. The kiss was soft and languid, their tongues stroking and caressing the recesses of each other's mouths. Neither of them meant to start anything but they were making up for lost time and now that they'd started, they didn't want to stop. Maggie threw a leg over Glenn's hips and moved to straddle him. Her breasts brushed against his chest as they continued to kiss, deeper now, more hungrily. She felt him stirring beneath her and started to reach down to touch him.

"Maggie? Glenn? You out here?"

Glenn groaned audibly at the call from the foot of the guard tower.

"And there's the search party," he muttered as Maggie climbed off him with a noise halfway between a growl and a sigh and started looking for her clothes. "Well, it was good while it lasted."

Maggie grinned at him as she tossed him his pants.

"We're fine, Daryl," she called, trying to make her voice sound normal as she tugged her shirt over her head. "We're coming now." She didn't think of the connotations of her words until she heard his response.

"I'll bet." He followed it up with a low chuckle, but in the stillness of the early morning the sound carried to reach their ears.

"Bastard," she muttered, pulling on her boots and reaching for her rifle as Glenn fastened the buckle on his belt. "Can I kill him?" she asked Glenn hopefully, only half joking.

He laughed and pulled back the bolt on the trap door. "I don't know, he is kind of useful to have around. Maybe just maim him a little?"

Now it was Maggie's turn to laugh. Glenn stepped back to let her climb down first, but as she went to put her foot onto the top rung he grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked at him questioningly.

"I love you," he told her, before planting a chaste kiss on her lips. "And last night was amazing... and this morning." He shook his head as words failed him but Maggie understood.

"It's not a one time thing," she told him as she climbed through the trap door. "This tower isn't going anywhere, and we're going to be here a while. We just have to be discreet is all."

"Yeah, because we've been so good at that so far," Glenn replied drily, and Maggie laughed so hard she almost lost her grip on the ladder. She jumped the last few rungs to the ground and stalked past Daryl, ignoring his knowing smirk as she headed back towards the cell block, but she couldn't help but hear the unmistakable sound of Daryl slapping Glenn on the back as he too reached the ground. She resolved to wait at least another week before she suggested a repeat of the previous night's activities.

She didn't even last a day. By lunchtime, they were sneaking away from the group once more, heading for the solitude of the guard tower, fumbling with buckles and zippers in their haste to be intimate. They didn't get very far this time.

"Glenn, Maggie?" It was Daryl again. Maggie swore, using words that had Glenn raising an eyebrow in surprise before heading out onto the balcony to take in the small group looking up at the tower from the dirt road leading to the gate.

"Hey, what's up, guys?" Glenn tried to sound innocent but it was a pretty weak effort, even to Maggie's ears. Plus, he still hadn't put his shirt back on.

"You comin'?" Daryl asked nonchalantly, throwing Maggie's words from that morning back at them.

"What?" Glenn was still fastening his belt as he took another step out onto the small balcony.

"You comin'?" Daryl repeated as the others snickered and Maggie groaned inwardly. She stepped into the doorway to try to draw Glenn away from any further ridicule as Daryl added, "C'mon, we could use a hand."

"So gross," Maggie muttered, scowling darkly and shooting Daryl a look of disdain before encouraging Glenn back into the tower. She couldn't blame them, she supposed. After all, there was still a lot of work to be done. But she was twenty-three and hormonal and wanted more than anything to be naked with the guy she loved and to be making up for lost time. She tugged on her boot angrily, almost snapping the lace in her frustration.

"Hey." Glenn placed soothing hands on her shoulders, rubbing the tension away softly. "It's okay. We'll just come back tonight, okay. Make it like a date?" He grinned suggestively at her and she couldn't help but grin back. "We could bring dinner, candles, blankets?"

"Okay," she agreed with a resigned sigh. "Tonight. You got yourself a date." And with that, she started to climb down from the tower, reassuring herself with the anticipation of things to come.

She shouldn't have let herself hope. It was weeks before they visited the guard tower again.